Local residents to have a say on major new recommendations for town and parish councils to cover the borough of Reigate & Banstead

The recommendations come from suggestions received earlier this year when the Council first asked local organisations and residents for their views on removing or making changes to existing parish or town councils in the borough, or creating new ones.

Currently, there are two areas in Reigate & Banstead with this most localised tier of government – Horley Town Council and Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council. The recommendations now being consulted on include minor updates to the number of councillors in Horley Town Council to improve local representation, and the expansion of Salfords & Sidlow Parish Council to include South Earlswood and Whitebushes.

In addition, there are proposals to create a new parish covering most of the north of the borough - ‘Banstead and The Villages Council’ -  and either one or two new town councils for Redhill and Reigate.

The Council is keen to encourage local residents and organisations to get involved in the consultation, whether or not they support the recommendations or would prefer one of the alternatives suggested.

Cllr Richard Biggs, Leader of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council says: “Parish and town councils can play a vital role in empowering communities and encouraging active involvement in local life. As elected bodies they can make an important contribution to democratic decision making, which local communities may consider more important as Reigate & Banstead becomes part of a larger East Surrey Council from April 2027.

“I believe people need a strong community voice on the decisions that affect their local areas and the neighbourhood services they rely on. I encourage everyone living in the borough to have a say on these proposals, whether they support them or not, to help decide how their interests and identities will be represented in the years to come.”

Outline of recommendations

• Horley Town Council – increasing the number of councillors from 18 to 19 and amending the wards to improve local representation.
• Salfords, Sidlow and South Earlswood Parish Council – if the recommended expansion of the existing parish to include South Earlswood and Whitebushes is not supported, the Council would like to understand what residents in the proposed expansion area would prefer.
• Banstead and The Villages Council – creation of a new parish covering most of the north of the borough.
• Redhill and Reigate – for the creation of either a single town council covering the whole area (which includes Merstham), or two separate town councils.

About parish and town councils

Parish councils, which can also be named town or village councils, are elected bodies made up of local people representing the interests of their communities, usually unpaid. They can vary in size and function but typically they represent the community voice, for example as a statutory consultee on planning matters; they may manage some local services, such as allotments or parks; and they seek to improve quality of life in the area.

Establishing a parish council affects the amount of council tax residents pay. Parish councils set their own budget requirements and are funded through a separate charge, or ‘precept’ which is collected alongside council tax. As a guide the precept for a Band D property is an annual charge of £55.21 in Horley and £33.06 in Salfords & Sidlow. 

About the community governance review

The consultation is part of a formal community governance review (CGR), which is a legal process giving residents and organisations an opportunity to have their say on the most suitable ways to represent them at a community level. Good practice suggests that one is carried out every 10 to 15 years and there has been no full review in Reigate & Banstead during this period.

Carrying out one now gives local residents an opportunity to consider community governance in light of the local government reorganisation, which will see district, borough and county councils all replaced with new unitary authorities.

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s CGR is overseen by a cross-party councillor working group. When considering feedback and the arrangements for parish councils, it must consider whether they reflect the identities and interests of the community; and whether they are effective and convenient.

How to have a say

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council launched the second phase of consultation on Friday 7 November and it will run until 5pm on 16 January.

Local people are encouraged to have their say by completing a survey. This can be completed online at www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/cgr and paper copies will also be available.

More information about parish and town councils and the draft recommendations, including maps, electorate and councillor details, can be found on the community governance pages of the Council's website. Households in the borough will also receive information through their doors in the coming weeks.

Next steps

Once the consultation has closed, the Council will review all the responses and produce a final decision for the Full Council on 26 March 2026.

Background information

• The report to the Extraordinary Council meeting can be viewed online here.